Geneva, May 18, 2026 (SUNA) – Federal Minister of Health, Dr. Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, met on Sunday with Qatar’s Minister of Public Health, Dr. Mansoor bin Ebrahim bin Saad Al Mahmoud, on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva. The meeting was attended by Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Hassan Hamid, Qatar’s Permanent Representative Dr. Hend Al-Muftah, and officials from both sides. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the health sector, particularly in light of Sudan’s recovery and reconstruction efforts, and the possibility of resuming health and development projects disrupted by the proxy war waged by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. The minister expressed Sudan’s deep appreciation to the State of Qatar—its leadership, government, and people—for its continued support to Sudan, praising the role of the Qatari ambassador in Sudan and the efforts of Qatar Charity in supporting the Sudanese people during the crisis. Dr. Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim noted that several joint Sudanese-Qatari projects had been suspended due to the war, adding that conditions are now conducive to resuming construction and development projects. He also voiced hope for continued Qatari support, including encouraging development partners to restart reconstruction and development initiatives in Sudan.  He further reviewed the scale of damage inflicted on the health sector as a result of the systematic targeting of health facilities by the rebel RSF militia, noting that nearly 500 hospitals and health facilities had been affected. He added that more than 80 percent of hospitals and health facilities have now resumed operations. For his part, the Qatari health minister affirmed Qatar’s full readiness to support Sudan’s health sector, particularly in the rehabilitation of health institutions and development and construction projects. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued coordination and cooperation across various fields, especially in the health, humanitarian, and development sectors, in support of Sudan’s recovery and reconstruction efforts and the strengthening of the strategic partnership between the two brotherly countries.BH/BH